Bridget Hailey, Bridget Powell, and Lindsay Wessinger

Transcription

1 Bridget Hailey, Bridget Powell, and Lindsay Wessinger Workshop based on the Units of Study for Teaching Writing by Lucy Calkins and Marjorie Martinelli

2 Blueprint for the Day Welcome Why Writer s Workshop Browse Materials Modeling Discussion Break-Out Session by grade levels Steps for Success Questions/Feedback Dismiss!!! Go enjoy the rest of your summer break!!!

3 Why Writer s Workshop Why Use Workshop Model? The writer's workshop advocates a fundamental framework: we should think of students as writers who read and compose daily. This model encourages flexibility and differentiation in product, processes, content, and environment. Differentiation also occurs during the writing conference. Studying mentor texts together, playing and practicing with language, sharing and discussing, and revising are all elements of coaching, and are opportunities for the teacher to provide encouragement and praise.

4 Why Writer s Workshop Often, teachers hesitate to adopt the workshop model because of two questions: 1) How do you teach grammar in writing workshop, and 2) How do you manage a writing workshop class? The answer to both will depend on your students' needs. This framework allows many possibilities for differentiation. After the teacher assesses needs, for example, a mini-lesson on a given grammatical principle might be the only grammar instruction needed outside of the writing conference. Classroom management will be easier once a routine is established and students become motivated to write in their writer's notebooks. They will come to see themselves as a community of writers. Reading is breathing in. Writing is breathing out -Ralph Fletcher

5 Importance of Writer s Notebook We cannot create what we cannot imagine. Lucille Clifton Children need to write about their own experiences. They need to be able to take ownership of their writing. They need to write everyday like real writers do. Children have extraordinary stories to tell, so give them a place to save those stories forever!

6 How to Get Started Students should have a writer s notebook. I love the black mead composition books. Spiral pages tear out and students can loose them. They need to decorate their writer s notebook with pictures they cherish. Of course make sure parents have duplicates because the pictures will be contact papered and adhered to the writer s notebook. Most importantly, make time each day for students to write.

7 Browsing Materials This guide is a work in progress. We take to write lessons that we could connect with Storytown and Wonders. Format of daily writing sessions.

8 Framework Ideas: Idea #1: **See picture on PowerPoint.**

9 Framework Ideas: Idea #2: Mini Lesson-10 minutes Independent Writing & Conferencing-25 minutes Writer s Share-5 minutes Idea #3: Literacy Block Introduction &/or review of mentor text minutes Grammar, vocabulary, reading skills, writing embedded in reading instruction-35 minutes Literature circles & self-selected reading, annotating using reading/writing skill(s) taught during instruction time-25 minutes Move into writer s workshop using time frame in Idea #2 directly after literature circles/self-selected reading time. This makes the transition fluid.

10 Mini-lessons Students need to learn the rules and skills of the English language. I think teaching those skills should be separate from the writer s workshop process. That being said: Find a time outside of the writer s workshop to teach those skills through small mini-lessons minutes should be enough time to focus on one skill. Then reinforce those skills during the writer s workshop.

11 Structure of a Mini-lesson Raising the Quality of Writing Connect: What are you wanting students to do today in their writing? Example: Writing strong leads Writers improve their story by studying how other authors start their stories. Explain to students that real authors study other authors to help them get ideas.

12 Structure of a Mini-lesson Teach: Demonstrate to students how to study mentor texts. Show children that setting, tone, and action in leads can create a mood. Pick a good mentor text to read to the class. Two really good mentor texts for lead are Owl Moon and Fireflies. Focus on what the main character is doing (action), what is he/she saying (dialogue), is another character doing something (action), where is the story taking place, what time of day/year (setting)

13 Structure of a Mini-lesson Active Engagement: My favorite part!!! Share a lead that a student has written. Ask students to get with their writing partner and talk the lead out loud with each other by using action or a setting. Now have the students try starting their lead with dialogue. Which one did their partner think sounded better? Did the partner think that was a good lead, or can they make suggestions to how their partner can improve their lead?

14 Link Structure of a Mini-lesson Restate your teaching point. What are you wanting students to do today in their writing? Remind them to use the techniques they ve learned from their mentor authors. Always remind them to refer to one of your anchor charts. Send them off to write!!

15 Your Daily Schedule Try to arrange your day so that Reader s Workshop and Writer s Workshop are back to back. This can be your Literacy Block of Time. You can use the book you are reading in reader s workshop as a building off point for writer s workshop. Try and talk about the strategies the author used and how the students can use those strategies in our own writing. Try to always schedule at least 45 minutes a day dedicated to writer s workshop depending on the grade level. At least 8-10 minutes for mini-lesson, 8-10 minutes for active engagement with teacher, minutes for students to write and teacher conferring (older they are the longer it should be), and 10 minutes for students to share!

16 Let s Connect Watch this video!! =PLb5RXypPqP5sNAYNUDEfwaq2QYPauhCcc&index=6 What did you notice? Student/Teacher t-chart Format of Lesson

17 Strategies Think of a person who matters to you, then list clear, small moments you remember with him or her. Think of a place that matters to you, then list clear, small moments your remember there. Think of a thing that really matters to you, then list clear, small moments that make that thing important. Think of the first or last time you remember doing something important. Write about something you saw or experienced. Think about a strong feeling. Write about a time you experienced that feeling.

18 Model Mentor Text: Use children s literature and your own writing as a model for students. These help students see what it looks like when a writer uses a strategy or technique. Also use children s own writing as a mentor text. When you have noticed a child using a strategy or technique well stop and have them share what they ve written, or you can read their writing aloud. Teach students to read their writing like it is a work of art. Read with passion as if their writing was made of gold.

19 Model Places 1. Beach 2. Disney World 3. Backyard

20 1. Trying to find an actual sand beach in Hawaii 2. Walking the beach with my husband in Jamaica 3. Snorkeling with Bryce his first time

21 1. Trying to find an actual sand beach in Hawaii 2. Walking the beach with my husband in Jamaica 3. Snorkeling with Bryce his first time What a beautiful view! I say to my husband as we look out at the vast ocean in front of us. Our feet are barely touching the warm sand. The weather is perfect. Sun is shining bright. The rays warm my skin. A few white clouds are sprinkled high in the sky as if splotches on a light blue canvas. I smell the salty air. This isn t our typical vacation get away. No kids, phones, or work to distract us from spending much needed time away to celebrate our 20 years of marriage. We grasp hands and walk towards the edge of the shore. Sand caresses our feet as we make our way to the water. We cautiously dip in our toes. The sand that is being carried away by the tide tickles my toes. My husband makes a joke because he knows that will be as far as I ll go into the water.

22 Table Types of Conferences Over the shoulder Whole class conference (use sparingly and mainly at the beginning of year) Individual Guided writing groups Content Spelling/conventions/editing Quality of good writing

23 Conferencing Visuals:

24 Conferencing Visuals:

25 Discussion Time Question/Answer What are going to be some roadblocks? Record Keeping Conferencing Time

26 Steps for Success Teacher Preparation 1. Prepare your own Writer s notebook 2. Have Writing Folders Ready 3. Read the Writer s Workshop Guide like it is a textbook. This will help you know what comes next. 4. Make sure you set up your room so you have space for a gathering spot for whole group mini-lessons.

27 How to come to the carpet for mini-lesson & share time How to turn & talk How to dismiss from the carpet & travel to writing spaces or back to seats How to write around the room How to store the writer s notebook What should the students be doing when they finish? o Illustrate, not draw o Add details o Start a new chapter or story How to choose students for writer s share time How to close or summarize the session

28 Evaluation/Feedback Form What other questions/training do you need? What format would they like their training? (for how long? once a month, quarterly?)